The Gods(and Goddesses) Of Krynn
by Elf Queen
Summary: This is a basic profile of every deity of Krynn(that I know of). I've been doing a lot of research and putting a lot of work into this, so if you're going to flame me, please think long and hard about it.


This particular story is actually a compilation of a bunch of research I've done over the past two weeks. Whenever there is a new god or goddess mentioned in a Dragonlance book, it always gets me really confused. So I went through all the books that I own and put together this little profile of every god. It's divided into four sections: Chaos, Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis, The Gods of Magic, and the Minor Gods. Each section tells about one or more of the gods of Krynn, who, following the Chaos War, were forced to depart in order for the world to continue. Author's note: If you haven't read Dragons of a Fallen Sun or Dragons of a Lost Star(the newest books) yet, you may not want to read this. I divulge a couple of things from those books that would ruin it for those of you who haven't read them. Much of the information on Chaos is taken from the book Dragons of Summer Flame, in the section where Usha reads the letter from the Irda. Therefore, a lot of this is the history of the world according to the Irda.  
  
If I've forgotten anything, please email, IM, or review me. Tell me which book you got your info from. I will then go buy the book, read it, and post the changes.  
  
Disclaimer: This is MY stuff! MINE, DO YOU HEAR?? My two weeks of research!! NO PLAGARISM!!!!!  
  
  
  
CHAOS  
  
Himself, The Father of All and Nothing  
  
At the beginning of time, there existed only Chaos. Eternal blackness blanketed all planes. The gods were born of this darkness. Himself is the father of Paladine, Takhisis, and Gilean. He took immense pleasure in irritating them at any moment possible.  
  
When Reorx, a god from the plane known as Beyond, forged the Graygem, he attempted to capture a small amount of Chaos, to give to Krynn as the essence of neutrality and form an anchor. Chaos had been furious that his three children had created the world without his consent(see TAKHISIS, PALADINE, and GILEAN for more information on the creation of Krynn). He had already placed a curse upon the gods. "You will indeed create order," he decreed, "but I will see to it that order will breed discord, both among you and those who would dwell in your world." Once the world had been forged by Reorx, this curse came into effect. Paladine and his two siblings began to disagree over many petty matters, and other gods joined in. Soon the All-Saints War began, and Chaos laughed, for his plan was working.  
  
When the war had finally ended, Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis began to create the races. Chaos added the animals, including dragons, and irritated his children once again by giving many of them advantages. He witnessed Reorx's attempt to capture part of Himself, and, seeing the chance to create more havoc, leapt into the Graygem(see REORX for more information regarding the history of the Graygem and its travels across Krynn).  
  
The gem eventually made its way into the hands of the Irda, whom many say were ogres spared Takhisis's wrath, thousands of years later. In order to protect their homeland from encroaching humans, they broke open the Graygem. They hoped the magic within would seal them off from the rest of the world. The Irda Decider smashed it into two, unwittingly freeing Chaos. The father god appeared, a giant clad in molten metal, with hair and beard of crackling flame and eyes of nothingness. Reorx, assuming mortal form, attempted to recapture him. He failed, and Chaos destroyed the Irda.  
  
Afterwards, he took refuge in the Abyss. A rift opened in the Turbidus Ocean, allowing Chaos to send forth his warriors. Shadow-wights, creatures whose touch could turn a mortal into nothingness, and daemon warriors, who would cause swords to shatter like glass and hands to go lifeless and never know warmth again, spewed from the rift. They attacked the High Clerist's Tower, which had recently fallen into the hands of the Dark Knights of Takhisis, and overran it. A token force of Dark Knights and several Solamnic Knight prisoners were the only survivors.  
  
Steel Brightblade, son of Sturm Brightblade, was left in charge of the small group. His father appeared to him and told him how Chaos could be defeated. A small force of knights, wielding the famed dragonlances could force the father god to retreat. However, they had to ride forth knowing that they would not return. Steel agreed, and went in search of dragonlances. He found a cache of the silver weapons, but could not touch them, owing to the fact that he served Takhisis. The Solamnic Knights could, and the two groups did the unheard of: they joined forces, good and evil, to fight Chaos. They flew to the Abyss on the backs of blue and silver dragons.  
  
Across many miles, an the Isle of the Irda, Reorx-in his mortal form Dougan Redhammer, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, Palin Majere, and Usha, child of the Irda, also prepared to travel to the Abyss. Palin went ahead to intercept the knights. The other three used Reorx's magic to transport themselves directly behind Chaos.  
  
In order to defeat Chaos, a drop of his blood had to be contained within the Graygem(in order to execute his plans, Chaos had been forced to descend to the mortal plane. Therefore he could be wounded like any other mortal). Palin cast a spell from the spellbook of Magius, presented to him by his uncle Raistlin. It blinded Chaos, allowing Steel to get close enough to slice his arm with his sword. A drop of blood hovered there, but did not fall. The Dark Knight retrieved his sword and struck again. Usha was unable to run quickly enough, and the blood was soaked up by the soil. Chaos had swung his arm to swat away Steel, and he and his dragon crashed to the ground near Palin. Distracted, Palin lost his concentration on the spell, and it was broken.  
  
In all this though, Tasslehoff had been forgotten. He drew his knife, Rabbitslayer, and stabbed Chaos in the foot. Usha captured some of the blood, and Chaos disappeared.  
  
The cost was terrible. Not one knight, Solamnic or Dark, survived. The gods were forced to depart Krynn in order to allow the world to live. Without them, magic slowly drained away. Tasslehoff and Tanis Half-Elven were dead.* But hope lived on. The Chaos War, or the Second Cataclysm as some called it, had not destroyed everything. The survivors began to rebuild.  
  
"You will never control me. You never have. You never will. Build your fortresses, your walled cities, your stone houses. Fill them with light and with music and laughter. I am accident. I am plague and pestilence. I am murder. I am intolerance. I am drought and famine, flood and gluttony. And you"-Chaos raised the flaming ball, about to hurl it down on them-"you are nothing!"  
  
"You are wrong!" came a clear, strong voice. "We are everything. We are hope!"  
  
Chaos pointed at the Solamnic Knights.  
  
"Paladine is dead! You fight alone!"  
  
Chaos turned to the Dark Knights.  
  
"Takhisis has fled. You fight alone!"  
  
Chaos spread his enormous arms, which seemed to encompass the universe.  
  
"There is no hope. You have no gods. What have you left?"  
  
Steel drew his sword and raised it in the air. The metal did not reflect the fire, but shone white, argent, like moonlight on ice.  
  
"Each other," he answered  
  
(From Dragons of Summer Flame by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)  
  
*Tanis died defending the High Clerist's Tower against the Dark Knights. Tas was supposedly dead aftre being stepped on by Chaos. However, the kender had appropriated the Device of Time Journeying from somewhere, and activated it before the giant's foot came down. He ended up twenty years in the future and is currently journeying with Gerard uth Mondar the length and breadth of Krynn. 


End file.
